Fixture for assembling pallets



Jan. 29, 1957 R. s. swARzMAN 2,779,021

FIXTURE FOR ASSEMBLING PALLETS Filed Dec. 13, 1955 FIXTURE FOR ASSEMBLING PALLETS Ruben S. Swarzman, Chicago, Ill.v

Application December 13, 1955, Serial No. 552,791 8 Claims. (Cl. 1-47) This invention relates to a fixture for assembling pallets and is concerned with means for positioning supporting legs relative to a platform and for simultaneously indicating the positions of a plurality of nails or other metal fastening elements to be driven through the platform and into the supporting legs to secure the fastening legs to the underside of the platform.

The pallet with which the present invention is concerned comprises a flat paperboard platform and a plurality of supporting legs formed of uniform lengths of cylindrical paperboard tubes secured to the underside of the platform in vertical position by nails driven through the platform into the cylindrical walls of the tubes. The pallets are preferably shipped to the user in unassembled condition and stored adjacent the area of use in the same condition in order to save shipping and storage space.

The fixture which comprises the invention facilitates the assembly of the pallet by positioning the supporting legs in predetermined position relative to the underside of the platform and holding them in said position while nails or similar metal fastening elements are driven through the platform to secure the legs permanently in the desired position. Although the fixture is described in connection with a paperboard pallet it will be obvious that it may be used advantageously wherever it is desired to position cylindrical members in predetermined positions relative to a ilat panel.

ited States Patent O The fixture comprises a lower member provided at its forward end with a resilient clamp adapted to hold a cylindrical tube of predetermined diameter and an upper vmember provided at its forward end with a gage indicating three points spaced uniformly relative to the circle delined by the cross section of the cylindrical tube adapted to be held by the clamp. It should be understood that the three indicated points are each spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the clamp a distance equal to half the thickness of the cylindrical wall of the tube so that nails driven through the platform at the indicated points will be centered relative to the tube wall. The gage may be modified to provide more or less than three points :for driving fastening elements.

The fixture is also provided with removable stop means that may be easily positioned to regulate the distance of the cylindrical tube from the edges of the platform. The stop member is used whenever a considerable number of tubes are to be secured to the platforms in the same relative position. The fixture may be used without the stop means if only a few tubes are to be secured. Visual indicating means are provided on the upper arm of the fixture so that the distance of, the supporting leg to the edge of the platform can be Visually gaged.

The structure by means of which the above mentioned and other advantages of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in con junction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view ofa xture embodying the invention, with the at platform and the cylindrical tube indicated in dotted lines;

- Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the fixture;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing the fixture applied to a platform with a supporting leg held in position relative to the platform by the xture; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a'pallet completely assembled.

In drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates an upper arm secured at one end to a lower arm 3 in any suitable manner. A block 4 interposed between arms 2 and 3 spaces them a distance slightly greater' than the thickness of the paperboard constituting the platform 5 of the pallet to be assembled. If desired, arms 2 and 3 may be integral and may be spaced in any suitable manner, but they must be suciently rigid to maintain the required spacing.

A gage 6 in the form of a at plate is rigidly secured to the forward end of arm 2 by welding or in any other suitable manner. The forward end of gage 6 projects beyond the end of arm 2 and is provided with a notch '7 for a purpose hereinafter disclosed. The rear portion of gage 6 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced notches 8 and 9. The shape of gage 6 is immaterial as long as the notches 7, 3 and 9 are positioned in the required relationship. Suitably positioned apertures may be substituted for the notches, if desired. v

The forward end of arm 3 extends at right angles to the arm, to form a downwardly extending flange 10. A resilient clamp 11 is rigidly secured to flange 10 by welding or in any other suitable manner. Clamp 11 extends forwardly from flange 16 and its upper edge is ush with the upper surface of arm 3 so that it is spaced from gage 6 a-distance suiilcient to permit entry of platform 5 therebetween. Clamp 11 is circular and is open at its forward edge a distance slightly less than half its circumference.

vThe ends of the clamp are flared outwardly, as indicated at 12 and 13 to facilitate entry of a cylindricaltube 14 within the sides of the clamp. The resilience Vof the clamp permits its sides to flex outwardly to permit entry of the tube and then to snap back into normal position to securely hold the tube within the clamp. A reinforcing strip 15 bent into angular form has its ends welded to the sides of the clamp rearwardly of the diameter normal to the arm 3. Strip 15 imparts rigidity to the rear portion of clamp 11 without affecting the resilience of the forward portion which must flex toy receive the tube. The strip 1S is also .welded to the underside of arm 3.

The method of using the fixture is very simple. The clamp is placed with its ends 12 and 13 against the cylindrical wall of a tube 14. A slight inward pressure of either relative to the other causes the sides of the clamp to spread outwardly a distance suiiicient to permit the tube to be juxtaposed against the rear portionl of the clamp with the sides of the clamp snugly grasping the sides of the tube. The upper edge of tube 14 is flush with the upper edge of the clamp. The distance of notch 7 from the diametrically opposite portion of clamp 11 is such that when the tube is positioned as indicated the notch is positioned directly above the center of the cylindrical wall of the tube. Notches 8 and 9 are also positioned directly above the center of the cylindrical wall of the tube and are positioned from each other and from notch 7.

Whenever a fixture, with a cylindrical tube held in its clamp, is pushed inwardly of the edge of a platform 5, nails 16 may be driven through the platform and into the center of the cylindrical wall of the tube, merely by positioning the nails in the notches, regardless of the position of the tube relative to the platform. The accurate positioning of the notches kof the gage relative to the center of the cylindrical wall of the tube is important because the nails must be positioned centrally of the tube wall in order to hold the supporting legs of the pallet in place under the severe usage to which such pallets are subjected. It is extremely difficult to position the nails accurately when the tubes are hidden beneath the platform, but the gage permits even an unskilled laborer to position them accurately and rapidly.

Although gage 6 is provided with three notches spaced to position three nails equidistant around the circurrb ference of the tube, it will be obvious that as long as the proper relationship is maintained between the notches or apertures of the gage and the inner surface of the clamp any number of nails 16 may be positioned anywhere along the circumference of the cylindrical wall of the tube. The gage might be in the form of a fiat plate entirely covering the area of the end of the tube, with the apertures spaced centrally of the tube wall at any desired distance from the adjacent apertures. ySimilarly the gage might have its outer edges coincident with the cylindrical wall of the tube and have notches spaced in any desired manner.

The distance of each supporting leg 14 from the edge of platform depends upon the distance the fixture is pushed inwardly of such edge. Different distances from the inner surface of the rear portion of clamp 11 are indicated by indicia 17 stamped on the upper surface of arm 2. The indicia 17 makes it possible to visually determine the spacing of the supporting legs. Although the visual method of spacing the legs from the edge of the platform is sufficiently accurate, I prefer to regulate the spacing in a dierent manner that does not require checking the position of the edge of the platform relative to the indicia 17 and therefore is faster and even more accurate.

v Arms 2 and 3 are provided with aligned apertures 18 and 19 that are spaced at any desired intervals. Whenever a considerable number of legs 14 are to be secured to one or more platforms 5 in identical relationship, a bolt 20 is passed through a pair of apertures 18 and 19 and secured in place by a wing nut 21. The fixture, with a tube 14 held in clamp 11 is pushed inwardly of one edge of the platform and bolt 20 acts as a stop member to limit the relative inward movement between the fixture and the platform. The bolt is secured in the pair of holes that will permit spacing the tube in any desired predetermined position, and every tube will be positioned exactly the same distance from the edge of the platform as long as the position of bolt 20 is not changed. If a different spacing is desired, bolt 20 may be easily removed. The fixture may be provided with a stop member, similar to block 4, permanently secured in any desired predetermined position if all the tubes to be assembled are to be spaced uniformly from the edges of the platform. It is also possible to substitute a slot for each series of apertures if accurate spacing at more frequent intervals is required.

While I have described a few preferred embodiments of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is illustrativeI rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact structure described.

I claim:

1. A fixture for assembling pallets comprising a pair of arms spaced to receive a fiat platform therebetween, a clamp secured to one of said arms, said clamp being adapted to hold a cylindrical tube in upright position beneath said platform, and a gage secured to said other arm, said gage being positioned above said clamp to overlie said platform in registration with said cylindrical tube, and indicating means on said gage in registration with the center of the cylindrical wall of said tube.

2. A fixture for assembling a cylindrical member and a fiat member comprising a pair of vertically spaced arms, a circular clamp secured to one end of one of said arms,

said clamp having an open side extending over slightly less than half its circumference, a flat plate secured to said other arm, and indicating means in said flat plate, said indicating means overlying said clamp and spaced inwardly of the inner surface of said clamp.

3. A fixture for assembling pallets comprising a pair of arms secured in spaced relationship and adapted to be positioned on opposite surfaces of a fiat platform, a resilient clamp secured to one of said arms, a gage secured to said other arm, said clamp being adapted to hold a cylindrical tube against one surface of said platform in registration with said gage, and a plurality of notches in said gage adapted to indicate the center of the cylindrical wall of a tube held in said clamp.

4. A fixture for holding a cylindrical member with one end juxtaposed against a flat member, said fixture comprising two arms secured in spaced relationship at one end, a resilient clamp secured to the other end of one of said arms, a fiat plate secured to the other arm in registration with said clamp, and means integral with said flat plate for indicating specific positions on a cylindrical member held in said clamp.

5. A fixture for assembling pallets comprising a flat platform and a plurality of tubular supporting legs7 said fixture comprising a pair of arms spaced vertically to straddle one edge of said platform, a resiiient clamp secured to one of said arms to hold a tubular leg in vertical position against one surface of said platform, a gage secured to said other arm, said gage being positioned adjacent the opposite surface of said platform when said tubular leg is positioned against said rst mentioned surface, and means on said gage indicating the center of the cylindrical wall of said tubular leg.

6. A fixture for assembling pallets comprising a flat platform and a plurality of tubular supporting legs, said fixture comprising a pair of arms spaced vertically to straddle one edge of said platform, `a resilient clamp secured to one of said arms to hold a tubular leg in vertical position against one surface of said platform, a gage secured to said other arm, said gage being positioned adjacent the opposite surface of said platform when said tubular leg is positioned against said first mentioned surface, means on said gage indicating the center of the cylindrical wall of said tubular leg, and means on one of said arms to indicate the position of said tubular leg relative to the edge of said platform.

7. A xture for -assembling pallets comprising a fiat platform and a plurality of tubular supporting legs, said fixture comprising a pair of arms spaced vertically to straddle one edge of said platform, means detachably secured to said arms for limiting the lateral movement of Isaid arms relative to said platform, a resilient clamp secured to one of said arms to hold a tubular leg in vertical position against one surface of said platform, a gage secured to said other arms, said gage being positioned adjacent the opposite surface of said platform when said tubular leg is positioned against said first mentioned surface, and means on said gage indicating the center of the cylindrical Wall of said tubular leg.

8. A fixture for assembling pallets comprising a fiat platform and a plurality of tubular supporting legs, said fixture comprising a pair of arms spaced vertically to straddle one edge of said platform, a plurality of aligned apertures in said arms, and a stop member selectively engageable with any pair of aligned apertures to limit the lateral movement of said arms relative to said platform, a resilient clamp secured to one of said arms to hold a tubular leg in vertical position against one surface of said platform, a gage secured to said other arm, said gage being positioned adjacent the opposite surface of said platform when said tubular leg is positioned against said first mentioned surface, and means on said gage indieating the center of the cylindrical wall of said tubular leg.

No references cited. 

